A new interview with Pope Francis is to appear on Sunday in one of Argentina's best-selling magazines.

The publication Viva, a Sunday supplement of the newspaper Clarin, will feature the interview, made to coincide with the 500th day of Francis' pontificate which takes place tomorrow.

According to reports, the Holy Father will discuss the recent upsurge in violence in the Middle East, concerns about youth unemployment, and his forthcoming encyclical on safeguarding the environment. He will also share details of his life in the Vatican.

This will be the Pope's tenth interview with the mainstream media, including his airborne press conferences.

Although the interviews have in many ways helped bring the Pope and the message of the Gospel to people who might otherwise pay no attention to the Church and the papacy, some have caused problems and been criticized for causing unnecessary controversy and confusion.

Unlike his most recent conversation with Eugenio Scalfari, however, this one has definitely been recorded.

@Tom in AZ: You’ve centered on the main point here with: [“If people want to misunderstand him, well, it’s not like the mass-media have actually understood a Pope . . . “]
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Tom, since the media is largely unchurched, it’s not that they WANT to misunderstand him, the media have little context in *WHICH* to understand him. Sure, media people all know some famous Scripture lines like “Judge not” et al,—but they don’t understand the gospel and in fact have never heard the gospel. And yet, media would like the gospel to accommodate or validate their own lives.
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You and I know Pope Francis doesn’t approve of SSM because Leviticus and Romans both say such behavior is sinful. But when Francis opens the “Who am I to judge?” door, he creates the impression that the church can be flexible for people who desire more flexibility. Francis is then seen as a “breath of fresh air” and ushering in a more moderate papacy for a new church era. Rather than saying “Who am I to judge?”—the more correct response would have been “The word of God says . . . ” Francis missed an opportunity to yield and present that true authority comes from God and not from men.

Posted by Ronald King on Tuesday, Aug, 5, 2014 8:34 PM (EDT):

I see your point and your reasoning is reasonable but it does not apply to what I am stating about fear based reactions. Your analogies do not apply.

Posted by Tom in AZ on Tuesday, Aug, 5, 2014 7:47 PM (EDT):

@Ronald King: I don’t actually have any problem with anything the Pope has said; I’ve never once needed anything he’s said explained. I don’t even really care one way or the other whether he keeps giving interviews, although doing them with the guy who never brings audio-recording equipment probably isn’t a good idea. If people want to misunderstand him, well, it’s not like the mass-media have actually understood a Pope since, oh…some time before Leo IX? I know they didn’t get HIM.
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I’m simply pointing out that Ranger01 and Casting Crowns have a legitimate complaint—one I do not share, but have no particular problem with, and for which a case can be made. It’s like how, I had no objections when Benedict resigned, but I also saw why those who did have a problem with it, had that problem. Benedict resigning caused some distress; you’re allowed to “mind” that. Francis’ interviews cause some confusion that some people feel the need to correct; they’re allowed to “mind” THAT, too.

Posted by Ronald King on Tuesday, Aug, 5, 2014 7:24 PM (EDT):

Tom, I see that it is your problem with the Pope and not mine. I know I will not change your mind.

Posted by Tom in AZ on Tuesday, Aug, 5, 2014 7:09 PM (EDT):

@Ronald King: You are essentially arguing the “digging ditches” fallacy (that digging and refilling ditches stimulates the economy). There is such a thing as “opportunity cost”. Just as the time wasted digging ditches only to refill them could’ve been spent in actually CONSTRUCTIVE activities, the time spent explaining what Pope Francis actually meant could be better used deepening people’s understanding of the actual teachings of the Church.

Posted by Casting Crowns on Tuesday, Aug, 5, 2014 6:05 PM (EDT):

@Ronald King: And how rewarding is it when you have to be (from the get-go) on the defensive explaining to others why John Paul II kissed the Koran?—a “holy book” that calls Christians and Jews infidels which should be destroyed unless they submit to Allah. Are you also disappointed Moses paid no respect to the gods of Egypt?

Posted by Ronald King on Tuesday, Aug, 5, 2014 5:42 PM (EDT):

Tom, I am not tired of talking about my Faith and explaining something to someone who has the wrong impression or is hostile. I have had very rewarding discussions with those outside our Faith. I am disappointed in your response to my comment.

Posted by Tom in AZ on Tuesday, Aug, 5, 2014 4:35 PM (EDT):

@Ronald King: The reason that we fear “anything which may differ from the history of our subjective development” is that animals that are cautious with new environments and situations survive to pass on their genes, while those that are not, try to play with spitting cobras and die of neurotoxin before they can breed.
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There’s nothing subjective in the constant, deliberate misinterpretations of EVERYTHING Francis says, that just cause trouble for Catholics. You aren’t tired of having to explain that no, he didn’t mean gay marriage and abortion aren’t important, and no, he isn’t saying we’re no longer going to teach that homosexuality is immoral, and no, he isn’t saying Marxism is good? If you had a friend with an emotionally abusive significant other who always twisted everything your friend said, wouldn’t you be leery when your friend said things that were easy to twist?

Posted by Ronald King on Tuesday, Aug, 5, 2014 4:11 PM (EDT):

There is no objective occasion for fear when Pope Francis speaks. The fear is a subjective response to your impression that he is doing something or saying something which is dissonant with your belief system. So reacting in fear where no actual threat exists is a result of cognitive processes which links our higher thinking ability to our instinctive survival mechanisms, in particular, the amygdala-which is socially conditioned through fear of being isolated from our primary care givers. Objectively speaking, over time this vigilance for threat becomes generalized and highly sensitive to anything which may differ from the history of our subjective development.

Posted by Casting Crowns on Tuesday, Aug, 5, 2014 2:46 PM (EDT):

@Ronald King: You’re hardly speaking with any directness when you assert Ranger01 has some sort of fear complex. Fear of what? Ranger01 has pointed to how Francis has become a media darling much the same way Cardinal Dolan of NY has. Their ordination implies an obligation to speak biblical truth when asked a question rather than to mince words (in their own fear) they might offend someone. Since when has standing for righteousness become politically incorrect?
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James 4:4 comes to mind: “Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”
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Both Francis and Dolan should decide just “whose” side they are on.

Posted by Tom in AZ on Tuesday, Aug, 5, 2014 1:39 PM (EDT):

What, exactly, would be wrong if Ranger01 WAS motivated by fear? Fear is the perfectly rational response to risk, and the Pope’s penchant for off-the-cuff remarks introduces uncertainty, which is inherently risky. Being frightened when something is objectively an occasion for fear is no more invalid than eating when hungry or drinking when thirsty.

Posted by Ronald King on Tuesday, Aug, 5, 2014 9:56 AM (EDT):

Ranger, there is nothing passive aggressive with stating that you are fearful

Posted by Ronald King on Tuesday, Aug, 5, 2014 8:42 AM (EDT):

Yes, Ranger, you are fearful.

Posted by Ranger01 on Tuesday, Aug, 5, 2014 7:03 AM (EDT):

@ronald king, fear based? nice passive-aggressive try but no cigar. fear has nothing to do with it.
the pope speaks carelessly and the enemies of the church smile and praise him and give him awards.
but you know that. so be it.

Posted by Ronald King on Saturday, Aug, 2, 2014 7:58 PM (EDT):

Tom. I think Ranger01 is wrong not disloyal. And I don’t think he has a legitimate complaint. I think he has a fear based complaint.

Posted by Tom in AZ on Saturday, Aug, 2, 2014 7:10 PM (EDT):

@Ronald King: Ranger01 has a legitimate complaint—Francis does seem to be too eager to speak to reporters, and too prone to speaking off-the-cuff rather than from prepared remarks. Those traits have caused trouble.
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It is no more disloyal or excessive to criticize a pope for that than to tell him his shoe’s untied.

Posted by Ronald King on Saturday, Aug, 2, 2014 6:37 PM (EDT):

Ranger, perhaps you can’t grasp what Pope Francis is doing and never will g

Posted by Ranger01 on Saturday, Aug, 2, 2014 6:21 PM (EDT):

@Bob, if Francis was a parish priest it would be “just an interview”. When one is the Vicar of Christ on Earth an interview is serious business. HHPF, however, has not yet grasped that and most likely never will.

Posted by Bob on Saturday, Aug, 2, 2014 6:10 PM (EDT):

Some of you people really need to lighten up. It’s just an interview. Most people won’t pay attention to it anyway.

Posted by Tom in AZ on Friday, Aug, 1, 2014 2:09 AM (EDT):

@N.D.: I have not seen the Spanish text myself but I hear that the expression Francis actually used is not actually properly translated as “live and let live”. (Yes, it really is possible for a translation to be drastically off, usually because of a misinterpreted idiom; any anime fan, for example, has probably seen something that translated the Japanese term “doroboneko” as “cat burglar”—but, while “dorobo” does mean “thief” and “neko” means “cat”, the combination of the two means “HOMEWRECKER”.)

Posted by N.D. on Thursday, Jul, 31, 2014 9:55 AM (EDT):

“Live and let live”, sounds like the perfect complement to relativism.

Yes indeed, the house is literally burning down in Iraq and Syria and we write of the enviornment and visit Korea. And, of course, the synod; that all important synod. Has the Vatican offered asylum to any Iraqi Catholic family? WAITJ.

Posted by Robert on Wednesday, Jul, 30, 2014 8:49 AM (EDT):

May I say that I see two particular problems in the current situation: (1) the mass media has embraced Pope Francis and calls him “the people’s pope”; and, (2) Pope Francis has said things which have raised the hopes for change of certain Catholics. At the upcoming Synod, if Pope Francis doesn’t effect the changes he is talking about then the “horse will be out of the barn” so to speak.

Posted by Robert on Wednesday, Jul, 30, 2014 8:43 AM (EDT):

May I say that Benedict XVI also had the problem of misstating what he meant which necessitated a clarification from the Vatican. Pope Francis seems to comment on topics which are outside the realm of religion (e.g. environment) on which he doesn’t have any credibility.

Posted by N.D. on Tuesday, Jul, 29, 2014 2:00 PM (EDT):

Every element of truth will complement, not oppose, the fullness of truth; God’s intention for Sexual Love complements God’s intention for Marriage and The Family.

Posted by Ronald King on Tuesday, Jul, 29, 2014 12:20 PM (EDT):

Dr. Coelho, I agree with you.

Posted by Casting Crowns on Tuesday, Jul, 29, 2014 11:07 AM (EDT):

@Tom in AZ: Your comment identifies the problem. You and I understand what Pope Francis means. The problem is the marginal and those unchurched do not. Mostly, those who prefer the sin of homosexual behavior will take heart and delight in such a poorly framed response by Pope Francis. Why else would a cadre of clergy need to clean up the remark post facto?

Posted by Tom in AZ on Tuesday, Jul, 29, 2014 4:29 AM (EDT):

@Casting Crowns: Go find the text of that interview. It’s plenty clear. People have to twist his words in a manner that would make Derrida blush to get them to mean something else.

Posted by Casting Crowns on Tuesday, Jul, 29, 2014 12:04 AM (EDT):

@ Tom in AZ: [“he is exclusively referring to either homosexuals striving to live chastely, or those who HONESTLY do not believe homosexual acts are immoral.”]
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Then why was Francis not clear in his meaning? Rather, he created misunderstanding among Believers while likewise sending a false message gay marriage advocates were very pleased to hear.
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Following this statement by Francis, I saw interviews on both national and local TV in which Catholic clergy were attempting to clarify the Pontiff’s statement: “What the Pope really meant was . . . ” On top of that, dozens of op-ed pieces have occurred in secular, Catholic and Christian media attempting to define what Francis really meant.
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Further, as the Vicar of Christ, Francis has the obligation to preach truth to the people you say “HONESTLY do not believe homosexual acts are immoral.” Do you not agree Francis has this biblical obligation?

Posted by Tom in AZ on Monday, Jul, 28, 2014 11:27 PM (EDT):

@Casting Crowns: He said nothing of the sort. He said that when a homosexual person loves God and is trying to live right, “who am I to judge?” He is exclusively referring to either homosexuals striving to live chastely, or those who HONESTLY do not believe homosexual acts are immoral. That is quite different from “when speaking to homosexuality and gay marriage”. Yes, some scurrilous ideologues have yanked the remark out of its context to try to make him say such a thing; the question is why you thought their risibly forced interpretation was the correct one.

Posted by Casting Crowns on Monday, Jul, 28, 2014 11:24 AM (EDT):

@ Dr. Cajetan Coelho: [“His Holiness Pope Francis is preaching Jesus.”]
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Friend, when speaking to homosexuality and gay marriage, Pope Francis has said “Who am I to judge?” Thus, Pope Francis is neither speaking truth from the CCC, nor biblically from the OT or from Paul’s NT letter to the Romans (which the Catholic church says is the inspired, holy word of the living God. He has presented an unbiblical view which even some of our Catholic Priests have advocated.
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Secularists and those Catholics who support gay marriage often point to the gospel in which Jesus doesn’t specifically address homosexuality. The fact is Jesus didn’t have to. It was a “given” in Judaism that every Hebrew already knew what was written in the Torah about the sin of homosexual behavior.

Posted by robert waligora on Monday, Jul, 28, 2014 10:14 AM (EDT):

where is the interview?????????? perhaps Father Lombardi is “erasing the tapes” :)

Posted by Sharon on Monday, Jul, 28, 2014 8:00 AM (EDT):

Pope Francis should focus on the killing of Christians in the Middle East. He shouldn’t be talking about anything else at this moment. They are the refugees that we should be caring for.

Posted by Dr. Cajetan Coelho on Monday, Jul, 28, 2014 3:22 AM (EDT):

His Holiness Pope Francis is preaching Jesus. Trying to awaken the dormant Jesus in our mortal lives, appears to be the most striking contribution Francis is making in the course of his meaningful Petrine ministry. God bless the Holy Father with good health.

Posted by Ronald King on Monday, Jul, 28, 2014 12:12 AM (EDT):

Except for Tom this form does not look thoughtful and respectful

Posted by Casting Crowns on Monday, Jul, 28, 2014 12:02 AM (EDT):

@Tom in AZ: That was my inference to Thomas Poovthinkal SSP. Jesus could preach the gospel as He so pleased. Thomas was making the case Pope Francis has that same license.

Posted by Tom in AZ on Sunday, Jul, 27, 2014 11:49 PM (EDT):

@Casting Crowns: Actually Jesus IS the Gospel; the books were written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (or by people very closely associated with them). I suppose by the traditional formulation that God authors all inspired scripture we can say Jesus authored the Gospel, but in human terms he didn’t.

Posted by Nancy D. on Sunday, Jul, 27, 2014 7:09 PM (EDT):

Pope Benedict already addressed the issue of gender; how will pope Francis respond to dissent such as:

I honestly wish Francis would stop with these interviews period. Even with a tape recorder. I think they cause more damage than good. I bet his words will also be taken out of context in this one as well. Remember it has almost been a year since he made his famous WHOM AM I TO JUDGE on the plane back from WYD in Rio Last year. Let’s hope that does not happen again with this words and this time he speaks clearly and precisely not in any kind of cloudy ambiguity. Cardinal Mueller had to clarify yet again that the Pope and even a COUNCIL can’t change a Teaching of the Church. Yes he did say that not even VATICAN II can change Church Teaching

Posted by Sharon on Saturday, Jul, 26, 2014 11:49 AM (EDT):

Oh great. What will he say this time?

Posted by ANNE on Saturday, Jul, 26, 2014 8:18 AM (EDT):

Why do we need an Encyclical on the Environment? There is so much “junk” science out there intended to merely control populations.
We already have the following on Church teaching:
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CCC: “339 Each creature possesses its own particular goodness and perfection. For each one of the works of the “six days” it is said: “And God saw that it was good.” “By the very nature of creation, material being is endowed with its own stability, truth and excellence, its own order and laws.”
Each of the various creatures, willed in its own being, reflects in its own way a ray of God’s infinite wisdom and goodness.
Man must therefore respect the particular goodness of every creature, to avoid any disordered use of things which would be in contempt of the Creator and would bring disastrous consequences for human beings and their environment.”
_____________________________

Posted by ANNE on Saturday, Jul, 26, 2014 8:10 AM (EDT):

When are we going to get back to the “ETERNAL” rather than the strong emphasis on the “TEMPORAL” from our Church leaders?
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” “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”
He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
This is the greatest and first commandment.” - JESUS Mt 22:36-38
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The first 3 Commandments of God are about Him.
To place anything earthly above Him in our priorities is idolatry.
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Posted by ANNE on Saturday, Jul, 26, 2014 7:59 AM (EDT):

” According to reports, the Holy Father will discuss the recent upsurge in violence in the Middle East, concerns about youth unemployment, and his forthcoming encyclical on safeguarding the environment. He will also share details of his life in the Vatican.”
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Nothing on Saving Souls ?
Nothing on Sin ?
Nothing on Intrinsic Evils - ABORTION, EUTHANASIA, HOMOSEXUAL ACTS, CLONING, EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH, or CONTRACEPTION ?
Nothing on encouraging all Literate persons to read the Bible and “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition”?
Nothing on the 4 last things - Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell ?
___________________________________

Posted by Thomas on Friday, Jul, 25, 2014 10:36 PM (EDT):

Can he please stop talking. Please stop talking. Just one week. That’s all i’m asking for. Just one week without him having to correct how wrong the Church has been for the last 2000 years before he came on board would be nice. That’s all I’m asking for. This time we will have proof that the pope really has said all this nonsense. Now the real scandal will begin.

Posted by charles on Friday, Jul, 25, 2014 7:42 PM (EDT):

Yes, being disregarded entirely is the direction we are headed. Secular websites that report the words of the pope are increasingly having comments attached to them that trend in that direction and I suspect that something about the environment from the pope is going to be met with “really, shouldn’t he focus on church matters instead” etc…..
In other words there is no real upside to this encyclical.

Posted by Terah James on Friday, Jul, 25, 2014 7:16 PM (EDT):

I agree with Casting Crown’s and Charles’ points. About immigration- I think the pontiff weighed in because the US bishops consistently speak up for illegal immigration to the USA.

Frankly, I wish they would stop that and just lead the flocks to which they were entrusted, starting with preaching and teaching The Gospel (the Person and work of Jesus the Christ) not the secular social gospel of being all things to all people in the world.

And that, I think, goes to Charles’ point, in that just because these men have church offices, some people (themselves included) believe they are experts on everything, like a Collective of Renaissance Men, and they are not. In the case of our pontiff, I believe he is in over his head, when it comes to weighing in on the environment. His expertise needs to be opening the word of God to a hungry world. Hungry for God, that is.

A note: matters of morals are important to speak to, and I don’t mean that any clergy should have their hands tied. JPII did well in writing about the sanctity of life and Pope Benedict wrote about matters of importance too. That should be encouraged. But they need to know where to draw the line because IF Pope Francis does not know when to speak/write and when to remain quiet, he runs the risk of being disregarded entirely. Charles’ point was well stated, and I hope the Vatican heeds his concern. Edward: please use your influence to help? You have an opportunity with this.

Posted by charles on Friday, Jul, 25, 2014 7:03 PM (EDT):

Why is the pope writing an encyclical about the environment in the first place. Western countries have made great strides in the area of environmental protection in the last 40 years or so. Those I know who have visited China tell me that pollution is a problem there so maybe his comments should be directed in that direction.
The more prominent a person is, the more careful they should be with what they say. With the papacy it should be submitted questions and carefully worded and examined beforehand answers. Precisely because those answers can interpreted one way or the other if not precise. Men are not supposed to be too spontaneous or emotional. It goes against the grain. Would you want your airplane pilot to be spontaneous??? Probably not.
Hopefully, this will not go on for another dozen years or so. Life is tough enough, we don’t all this confusion every time the pope speaks.
Maybe this soon to be published interview will be different, who knows.

Posted by Casting Crowns on Friday, Jul, 25, 2014 6:20 PM (EDT):

His most recent comments last week that the United States should welcome all the illegals crossing our southern border from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador is another example of the Pope’s speaking without thinking. Nowhere did he suggest or offer to have any of the illegals migrate to his home country of Argentina.

Posted by Terah James on Friday, Jul, 25, 2014 5:34 PM (EDT):

I think it’s best to just wait and see what is reported in the interview. The past does not have to equal the future, and the worst thing the Vatican can do is to try to Monday Morning Quarterback what’s written.

It would be ideal if the pontiff could get questions given to him in advance, and he could review them, and really plan his answers. No one that is reasonable would fault him for that, in fact, his taking the press and his reactions to them that seriously would be applauded (and appreciated).

I enjoy that he is not in an Ivory Tower, sheltered from the world, and even the Press. But his statements need to be 1) delivered emphatically and 2) reported truthfully, with no editorializing (and no reporter fabrication).

Thank you, Edward, for alerting everyone that this interview is coming. I second the request for you to try to interview the pontiff yourself. You are a trustworthy reporter, and your only agenda is to glorify our Triune God, the chief end of all Christians.

Posted by Don on Friday, Jul, 25, 2014 11:50 AM (EDT):

Clearly, Pope Francis has not learned - and at this point we can say will not learn - his lesson. Which, to me, can only mean he views these interviews as a positive despite - perhaps because of - the controversy they stir up. I think he relishes the controversy. I also think he is using these interviews to telegraph what he “really thinks” but can’t say in formal, magisterial documents. And, am I the only one who dreads the above-mentioned forthcoming encyclical on safeguarding the environment? I suspect Pope Francis’ progressive ideology will be on full display.

Posted by Lepanto on Friday, Jul, 25, 2014 11:25 AM (EDT):

I’m sure that Jorge’s apologists and damage-control experts (including some on this website) are already gearing up to make us believe that what Jorge said is not what he meant.

The result? Diminished credibility for them, and far more importantly, an even more diminished voice of authority of the papacy for years to come.

But then, “Who am I to judge?”

Posted by A.A.E. on Friday, Jul, 25, 2014 10:37 AM (EDT):

“For a Pope who does not want to give interviews, we are truly grateful to you.” — Journalist Antonie-Marie Izoard to Pope Francis (Sunday, July 28, 2013)

Posted by Jim Mitchell on Friday, Jul, 25, 2014 10:13 AM (EDT):

More teaching outside of the charism of infallibility and creating an alternate interpretation of the deposit of faith. It does not matter that he cannot change binding official teaching if he can change what many Catholics think the binding official teaching really means.

Posted by pete on Friday, Jul, 25, 2014 9:34 AM (EDT):

Edward, can you get an interview with Pope Francis, and get some of the confusion clarified?

Posted by Robert waligora on Friday, Jul, 25, 2014 8:00 AM (EDT):

“Some have caused problems”....now that is an understatement!!!!

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Edward Pentin began reporting on the Pope and the Vatican with Vatican Radio before moving on to become the Rome correspondent for the National Catholic Register. He has also reported on the Holy See and the Catholic Church for a number of other publications including Newsweek, Newsmax,Zenit, The Catholic Herald, and The Holy Land Review, a Franciscan publication specializing in the Church and the Middle East. Edward is the author of “The Rigging of a Vatican Synod? An Investigation into Alleged Manipulation at the Extraordinary Synod on the Family”, published by Ignatius Press. Follow him on Twitter @edwardpentin